Maybe
by onlytrash
Summary: In their final year of university, the gang now has to face the difficulties of finding a job and focusing on internships. All the while, Marinette and Adrien still have to save Paris from wretched akuma attacks. Will they be able to balance their lives as the reality of being an adult sets in?(cross-posted on ao3)
1. Chapter 1

The frigid cold air of December rushed inside the small two bedroom apartment as Marinette made her way inside, a bag of groceries hanging on one arm. She rushed to close the door and relaxed her muscles as the warm air engulfed her. Alya called out to her best friend from their shared kitchen.

"Did you get everything for tonight?" Marinette made her way into the small kitchen and set down the bag of groceries on the counter where Alya stood. "Yeah, surprisingly." She heaved out a big sigh and shrugged off her heavy coat. Alya smiled and rummaged through the paper bag for the ingredients she needed.

"What time did you say they would be here?" Marinette started to put away the rest of the objects left in the bag as always chopped vegetables.

"Around 7. Nino said he would try his best to drag Adrien here, so don't sulk if he can't make it." Marinette pouted as she opened the refrigerator.

"But I haven't seen him in over a month."

"But you have talked to him." Alya glanced at Marinette over her shoulder.

"Yes, but it's a different feeling when we see each other in person." Marinette sighed and placed the milk on the top shelf of the refrigerator.

"Don't worry, Mari. I'm sure he'll come." Marinette stepped away from the refrigerator and leaned her head against Alya's shoulder. Alya stopped chopping the carrots and leaned her head on Marinette's.

"Look, I know you've had a tough year, but don't show that face when Adrien and Nino get here. Adrien's really excited to see you, so don't be a downer." Marinette sighed again and wrapped her arms around Alya's waist.

"I just feel really bad about what happened. Nath didn't deserve that." She closed her eyes, feeling the guilt of the previous week bounce menacingly around her mind.

"Look, you thought you could learn to like him, but that didn't happen. Nath knew what he was getting into. He's the one who wanted to be with you despite all the warnings you gave him." Alya set down her knife and pat her friend's head gently.

"You'll be fine. He'll be fine." She assured her.

Marinette let go of Alya and headed toward her room while sputtering an excuse about needing a nap. She entered her room and looked around at the copious amounts of sketches hanging on the walls. She smiled at them, each one reminding her of a different time in her life. She let her hand graze a few as she made her way to her bed and lay down. Her purse opened and out came Tikki, the magical kwami that had been a part of her life for a few years now. Tikki hovered close by Marinette's face and frowned when she saw the crease forming between her charge's eyebrows.

"Marinette, are you okay? You haven't been yourself lately," Tikki asked.

Marinette thought back to the previous week when she told Nathanael, an old classmate that had been in love with her since their collége years that she could no longer be with him since her feelings for Adrien still held quite strong. The look of sadness that adorned his face after Marinette spoke made her realize how awful it was of her to even give Nathanael what he wanted. She knew from the beginning that it could possibly hurt him, yet she still went along with it, eager to get over her long-time crush on Adrien Agreste. She groaned into her pillow and closed her eyes, wondering if she could have prevented it, if she could have waited a little while longer; maybe she would have ended up falling for Nathanael. She sat up and looked at the concerned kwami beside her. Without answering her question, Marinette called out for her kwami to transform her, in desperate need of running around as her confident counterpart. She locked her door and opened the window, setting out on her journey across the rooftops of Paris.

The cold air slapped her in the face as she sped up, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, and thinking about all of the frustrations of the past year. Her relationship with Nathanael lasted about ten months and although most of their moments together were happy, the moments where Marinette felt guilt outweighed everything. Her long-time partner, Chat Noir had been more absent than ever this year, leaving Marinette to fight off the persistent akumas by herself. While fighting with Chat Noir gave her joy, fighting by herself gave her nothing but strain. Her ability to whip up a design in a short amount of time all but disintegrated once inspiration left her. She'd felt blocked this year, unable to really be herself.

A few memorable moments stuck out to her though, moving in with Alya being the strongest. Despite all of the tensions of the year, Marinette knew that there were many more memories that would help her get through the tough times, including her blooming friendship with Adrien. Ever since they graduated, Adrien and Marinette had grown closer, her no longer a blubbering mess and him much more open. Marinette had to give credit for their friendship to Alya and Nino however, since it was their relationship that aided in Adrien and Marinette becoming closer friends.

She slowed down, her breath staggering, her feet throbbing until she came to a full stop.

 _Adrien_ , she thought. She smiled as his name took up all of the space in her mind. The gray skies and throngs of people below her gave her comfort. She sat down and took a deep breath.

She pictured Adrien's heavenly face and mentally traced every detail. His effervescent green eyes, his crooked smile, the way his eyebrows furrowed when he was deep in thought.

She didn't notice the figure sneaking up behind her until it touched her shoulder. She turned around and quickly rose to her feet, relaxing only when she found the familiar black mask of her partner.

"Chat, don't sneak up on me like that." She huffed and removed his hand from her shoulder. Chat Noir smiled and folded his hands behind his back.

"You know you missed me at least a litter." Marinette groaned at the terrible pun. Her partner gave a small laugh before he wrapped his arms around her.

"I haven't seen you in a month!" he exclaimed.

"Well, I assume you've been busy, kitty." She said.

Chat let go of her and sat down at the edge of the roof. She joined him. The two sat in silence for a few moments before Marinette spoke up.

"What's been keeping you busy? I've been-"

"Lonely?" he quipped.

"Overwhelmed," she corrected him.

The absence of her partner added extra pressures that never seemed to go away. She could feel the prickling sensation in the back of her throat and the warm wetness in her eyes. Chat looked over at her and immediately placed an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm really sorry. Things have been really hectic for my civilian side. But I promise, I'll be here more often from now on. No more unexplained absences. I mean it." Marinette took a deep breath and raised her head. Delighted to hear those words, she leaned into Chat's embrace.

Over the last few years, Ladybug and Chat Noir had grown much closer, their trust in each other increasing with every battle. Ever since Chat Noir told Ladybug that he was going to try and rid himself of all of the romantic feelings he held for her, she'd opened up to him. He had become a place where she could find comfort and solace. To him, she'd always been home and she would always remain that way.

He was no longer as madly in love with her as before and it allowed for them to become more like family. They were the only ones who knew how hard it was to keep up with their civilian lives and also save Paris from harm almost every other day. Although they didn't know the other's identity, they had an unbreakable trust.

They sat there for what felt like hours before Marinette stood up.

"I have a previous engagement. I'll see you tomorrow, Chat. And, thanks." She gave him a small smile before she ran off towards her apartment.

Adrien sat there for a few more minutes, pondering on how much he wished he could be there more often for Ladybug. He knew that leaving her alone so often put an enormous amount of pressure on her, but couldn't do anything about it. Between the constant business trips and the out of country modeling, Adrien had barely enough time to attend his classes. His father, despite promising to give him time for his studies, kept his extremely busy.

He remembered the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes and her broken voice and she talked about how she felt. He groaned internally and ran his fingers through his golden hair. He realized he'd been sitting in that spot for too long and stood up to head over to Marinette and Alya's shared apartment with his best friend Nino.

The sun had set and the streets were lit up brightly as Nino and Adrien walked toward the girls' apartment. Nino talked excitedly about how happy he was that Adrien was back and Adrien responded with elevated joy. They reached the apartment in no time.

Nino knocked on the door and a few seconds later, Alya opened it, beaming at the sight of the two boys.

"Come in here, you two. It's been so long, Adrien." Adrien returned her hug and headed inside.

The apartment was cozy, decorated with pictures and touches of Alya and Marinette. Their home felt warm and inviting, comforting, to Adrien. He took a breath the smell of beef stew excited his senses. Nino sat down on the couch and Adrien followed suit. He looked around for Marinette, but she was nowhere to be seen. He spoke up and asked Alya about the whereabouts of her friend.

"Marinette? She's in her room. Can you go get her, please? I'm a little busy."

Adrien nodded and headed over to what he assumed was Marinette's bedroom. He knocked a couple of times and heard her rummaging around her room.

"Marinette? Can I come in?" he asked.

The door to the room flew open and out popped Marinette, her hair a mess and a red mark on the side of her face. He could tell by the little bit of dried drool on the corner of her mouth that she'd just woken up from a nap. He gave a small laugh and pointed it out to her. The way she was always so effortlessly adorable had always intrigued Adrien. He smoothed down her black hair with his hand, gently tucking the loose strands behind her ears.

"A-Adrien. You're already here? I-I'm just, I-I'll be right out!" She slammed the door shut and stumbled as she attempted to find clothes to change into. Adrien, the man she had been in love with for over four years had seen her in her pajamas. She cringed at the thought and quickly put on a gray jersey dress and black stockings. She fixed her hair and touched up her make up in a rush and flew out of her room only to find that Adrien was still standing in front of it.

"Hi." She said

"Hi." He replied.

Adrien admired her for getting ready so fast. Alya called out to both of them and they made their way over to the dining table where Alya and Nino had just finished setting up. Everyone sat down, Nino and Alya on one side and Adrien and Marinette on the other.

Nino poured everyone a glass of wine and they all raised their glasses.

"To Adrien finally being able to stay home!" Nino said excitedly. The three others smiled at Nino's words and then clinked glasses.

 _Adrien is finally home,_ Marinette thought.

 _I'm finally home,_ Adrien thought.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, Adrien, didn't you say you were dating someone right now?" Nino asked innocently, gauging Marinette's reaction in the process.

Marinette's ears perked at the sudden, unfortunate information. Adrien laughed shyly, as if he didn't want to talk about it.

"No, not at the moment. I mean, I was, but it didn't work out." Adrien looked down at his empty bowl and half eaten slice of bread. He knew it wouldn't work out the moment she told him how she felt, but he went along with it anyway to keep from hurting her feelings. It was hard for him to turn down someone who seemed so sincere.

"Really? That's terrible. You know, Marinette and Nathanael just ended things last week." Alya added.

Marinette glared angrily at Alya, her grip on her spoon tightening until her knuckles turned white. Adrien looked over at her and gave a small, insincere frown. In fact, he was fairly happy to hear the news, considering that he'd realized his non-platonic feelings for Marinette six months ago.

Marinette turned towards him and smiled, trying to hide her displeasure with the current situation.

"I'm fine. I mean, you should see the other guy." She instantly regretted the words she said as they left her mouth. She cringed and put down her fork, ready to explain herself.

"I mean, sorry, that was…" She trailed off as Adrien reached beside him and put his hand over hers. She stopped talking and her eyes widened slightly. Adrien lowered his gaze to look straight into her eyes.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You two were great together," he added, lying through his teeth. Marinette took her hand away from under his and set it in her lap, a feeling of apprehension creeping up her throat.

Disappointed, Adrien picked up his glass of wine and took a sip. He cleared his throat, looked back at Nino and asked, "So, how are your classes going? Didn't you say you were making a short film?"

Nino's eyes lit up as he launched into an entire speech about how amazing the opportunity was and how excited he was to be able to work on something so professional. He was proud of his work as a film student and the mark he'd be able to leave on the world.

"It's amazing, dude. The script is in its final stages and we start filming next week. I'm so pumped!" he exclaimed. Alya beamed next to him, happy to see him joyful. Beneath the table, the two held hands tightly, Nino's thumb softly stroking the back of Alya's hand.

Marinette smiled at the two, genuinely ecstatic to see how happy they were together. At the same time, she was envious of their relationship. While she did have many similar moments with Nathanael, it was never the same. Although Nathanael felt as strongly for her as Nino did for Alya, Marinette was never able to muster up such strong feelings for him. She glanced over at Adrien, a small smile adorning his flawless face.

Adrien admired the two lovebirds when a sudden, selfless idea popped into his head. He turned to Marinette, only to catch her already looking up at him. He grinned and leaned down to whisper something in her ear.

"Why don't we give them some alone time? I'm sure they'd appreciate it." He pulled away from her, a blush threatening to appear on his face. She nodded enthusiastically and Adrien made way to stand up from his seat.

"Marinette and I are going to get some ice cream. Do you two want anything?"

Alya looked over at Marinette; she sensed a plan in action. Marinette shrugged and looked away from her best friend. She stood up and joined Adrien.

"Oh, I want some mint chocolate chip ice cream. What about you Alya?" Nino asked.

"Nothing for me, thank you." She smirked. Adrien and Marinette put on their coats and scarves and made their way out of the apartment. Marinette tripped as she tried to put her shoes on and Adrien offered her his shoulder for support.

She took up his offer and safely put on both shoes. Just before they closed the door, Adrien called out over his shoulder, "Also, I'm giving a time estimate of around 2 hours. Enjoy yourselves." He quickly shut the door behind him, Nino's complaint about how two hours was such a long time fading, and ran down the steps to the ground floor.

Marinette laughed as she followed him, her breath leaving her in white puffs. Once they were outside the building, Adrien turned to her and asked, "So, where would you like to go?"

Marinette thought for a second before suggesting, "Let's grab a bottle of wine, two cups and head down to the river."

Adrien laughed briefly, but agreed almost immediately.

"Let's do that then. Prime location, in front of Notre Dame. It's only a fifteen minute metro ride. What do you say?" Marinette nodded her head and they soon headed over to the Monoprix around the corner for a bottle of cheap wine.

Adrien made a beeline for the wine section, bumping into a few people along the way. Marinette followed close behind him, watching out for his blond head to make sure she didn't lose him along the way. The store was filled with people trying to get their shopping in before closing.

Marinette stood next to Adrien, hands in her pockets, as she watched him carefully decide on a bottle. Adrien could feel her blue eyes on him. He was unable to concentrate; he read the words on the bottle, but didn't understand them. He gulped and felt his face warm up, a sharp contrast from the cold air that snuck in through the automatic doors. Once he couldn't take it anymore, he blindly chose a wine and started to make his way over to self-checkout.

"Wait, we need cups! Unless you just want to drink straight from the bottle, that is." Marinette called out after him. He stopped and then turned on his heels back towards where she was headed. He took a deep breath and braced himself once again.

"Oh, and before we leave, can I just check for my shampoo? They've been out of stock since last week and Alya's shampoo dries out my hair." Adrien nodded, an image of Marinette, fresh out of the shower, projected in his mind. He could see water droplets sliding down her smooth skin, steam still rising from her body, her hair wet and wild. He could see her drying her hair with a towel, pulling it all over one shoulder for easier access.

He mentally slapped himself back to reality and took another deep breath. Marinette picked up a small pack of cups and made her way over to the shampoos.

"How are your classes going by the way? Didn't you say you got an internship at my dad's company?" Adrien inquired. Marinette knelt down to look through the last row of shampoos. Her face lit up when she remembered the fact that she would start her internship in a little over a week.

"Yeah, my classes are great. I'm working on my final collection for studio and it's been good so far. I'm excited to show it. And as for the internship," she paused.

"I honestly could not be happier. It's so exciting, you know? Working with Gabriel Agreste!" She straightened quickly, face to face with a quiet Adrien. He gritted his teeth together, trying hard not to ruin the fantasies the girl stood in front of him had probably imagined about his less than fatherly father. Without realizing, he raised his hand and set it down atop Marinette's head. Slowly and softly, he pat her head, her midnight black hair a stark contrast to his pale hand.

Marinette froze, the warm feeling of his hand on her head sending shivers down her spine. She wanted to reach up, take his hand and hold it tightly in hers. She wanted him to hold her face between his large hands, stroking her cheeks as he stared deeply into her eyes. She looked up at him, the harsh look in his green eyes softening as he met her gaze.

She suddenly realized why he would suddenly go quiet. She mentioned his father without giving much thought to what she was saying, forgetting all about how Gabriel Agreste, although a great designer, was a terrible father to Adrien. She looked away and thought quickly about what to say to appease the situation.

Adrien took his hand away and asked, "Did you find your shampoo?"

Marinette stuttered, "N-no. It w-wasn't there." Adrien smiled sadly and turned away, heading toward the self-checkout again.

Marinette regained her senses and quickly fell back into step with him.

"Look, I can't say much about his parenting skills, but he is a great designer." She said without much thought. Adrien stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. He laughed softly before agreeing wholeheartedly with Marinette.

"You're right. Hey, maybe when you start you're internship we'll get to see a lot more of each other. Seeing as I'm the main model for the Agreste line." Marinette perked up at the mention of being able to work directly with Adrien.

"That would be great. Me, working with the world famous Adrien Agreste! It's a dream come true." She added sarcastically.

"Ha Ha. Very funny." He retorted.

Adrien scanned their items and took out his wallet to pay when Marinette but her hand over his to stop him.

"I'm sorry M. Agreste, but I'm afraid this must be my treat. You can treat me to an expensive dinner next time as thanks." She swiped her card expertly and took the receipt while Adrien took the bag.

"You better believe I'll take you to dinner." He walked swiftly to the exit, heading in the direction of the closest metro station.

"We'll see about that." Marinette wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck as the cold air hit them. She shivered, her hands instantaneously turning red. She shoved them inside her pockets and caught up to Adrien.

"Your legs are too long." She chided.

"I'm sorry for having such amazing genes." He bumped her shoulder and slowed down to match her pace. He noticed the look of appreciation on her face and mentally high fived himself.

The two continued their banter, laughing loudly and obnoxiously, garnering attention from people all around them. Even in the train where silence surrounded them, their laughter rang out loud and clear. In what felt like a few short minutes, the two reached Adrien's drinking spot of choice.

"You know, I come here when things get really stressful. I only recently realized that I preferred modeling to the business and fashion side of the company." He opened the bottle of wine with a sommelier knife and poured out a portion for the two of them. They sat on the level closest to the river.

"You are a great model." Marinette said as she pointed to a poster of Adrien nearby. He laughed and looked away.

The warm lights surrounded them, creating a romantic atmosphere. A couple of tourism boats passed by, filled to the brim with people, packed together tightly to keep warm. The boats brought noise and excited figures across the way stood up and waved enthusiastically at the passengers. The river sparkled, reflecting the lights of the city on its surface.

She took a sip of her wine and leaned back, enjoying the view.

"It's a good thing you got a smaller bottle. Easier to hide." She tapped the side of her nose twice with her finger.

"The darkness helps, too." He added.

He put down his cup and leaned back as well, his gaze lingering slightly on the curves of Marinette's legs. Marinette looked up at the sky, not a star in sight. She sighed, her breath visible. The guilt and anxiety she had felt earlier that day threatened to creep back into her as she relaxed. She straightened up again, rubbing her hands together and taking another sip of her drink.

"Are you really okay, Marinette? You haven't seemed yourself all evening." Adrien probed.

Marinette sighed again.

"I just feel a little guilty, is all. Things weren't exactly going smoothly for me this year." She looked down at her hands folded in her lap. She played around with her fingers to distract her from the feeling of revulsion creeping up her throat for the tenth time today. She wanted to throw up everything that she'd been holding back and just be empty for a little while.

"Is this about Nath? You shouldn't beat yourself up about that. You can't exactly force yourself to stay with someone it's not working out with." He briefly and gently rubbed her back.

"I know that. I just wish I'd done things differently from the start. Maybe then I could have avoided all of this." She looked over at him, once again meeting his glowing green eyes.

Adrien traced every detail of her face carefully with his eyes, starting at the way her blue eyes bore right into him, rendering him incapable of concentrated thought. He loved the curve of her tempting lips as she spoke, the way her cheeks puffed up when she focused on something, how her expressive eyebrows gave way to every emotion she felt at any moment.

Marinette had to remember how to breathe. Adrien's face was just a mere inches away from hers. She longed to close the gap between the two, but she held back, reason winning her over.

"Things happen for a reason. Think of it as a learning experience. You'll do better next time." Adrien suggested.

He could feel himself slowly get closer and closer to her, yearning to close the distance between the two. His heartbeat quickened, the sound filling his ears and drowning out all the noise around him. Despite the cold weather, he felt hot. Despite eating dinner just an hour ago, he felt hungry. Marinette looked at him, a confused expression adorning her beautiful face.

"You're drunk." She whispered. She felt his breath on her lips as he spoke again.

"Not on wine." He glanced at her lips and then held his gaze at her eyes.

"I like you, Marinette." He whispered, barely registering what words came out of his mouth.

"You're drunk." She repeated.

"If this is drunk, then I never want to be sober."

In an instant, he closed the gap between them.


	3. Chapter 3

His head landed on her shoulder and he slumped over, exhaustion taking him over. Adrien had always hated the fact that he had low tolerance for alcohol. But, he thought, it really saved him from doing something to Marinette that he would regret. He could hear her giggle above him, the sound ringing like bells in his ears. His head felt muddled and fuzzy and he struggled to form more words.

"I said you were drunk." She lifted his head from her shoulder and held it firmly between her dainty hands.

"Can you stand?" she asked, her bright blue eyes looking straight into his, trying to get him to focus on her. He nodded and she let go of him. She stood up and held out her hand for him to grab for support. He took her hand in his, her cold fingertips sending a wave of pleasure through him. He tightened his grip and stood up with her help.

Marinette grabbed the empty bottle and the used cups while Adrien tried to balance himself on two feet. She threw the trash away in the nearest garbage bin and rushed over to help him stand straight.

"Why didn't you tell me you had low tolerance?" she asked.

"I forgot."

"Well, then why don't we get you back home?" she proposed. He nodded his head and grabbed Marinette's hand for support. She tried to hide her smile.

"You can at least give me directions to your place, can't you?" He nodded again, unable to trust himself with his words.

The two trekked through the city, constantly making wrong turns and taking the wrong trains. Eventually, they made it to the apartment Adrien shared with Nino. Marinette looked up at the beautiful building with anger in her eyes. She looked over at the man struggling to stand still beside her and yelled.

"Adrien! You live literally three minutes away from where we just were. Why did it take us almost an hour to get here?" She contemplated leaving the drunkard on the front steps of the building and walking away, but she just didn't have it in her to do something so cruel. Irritation built up inside her and she took his hand again and led him inside. The person at the front desk greeted Adrien as they made their way to the elevator.

"What floor?" she asked.

"Three," he replied.

"Really, Adrien. It's midnight. I could have been home by now. I should call Alya before she gets worried." She took out her phone and dialed her number just as the doors to the elevator opened to the third floor.

Adrien stumbled out and surprisingly made his way to the correct door. He opened it and went inside, dragging Marinette along with him.

"Hello?" Alya whispered into the phone. Marinette sighed and told Alya the events of the night, strategically leaving out the part where Adrien drunkenly told her he liked her. Alya laughed quietly.

"Well, since you're already there, why don't you just stay over? It'd be nice if Nino and I could be alone for the night, if you know what I mean." Marinette pretended to gag.

"You drive a hard bargain. I guess I could." She glanced at Adrien, hunched over on the black leather couch.

Marinette took in her surroundings. She could tell that Adrien's father had bought this place for the boys. The ceilings were high and the living room spacious. The kitchen was the size of her own bedroom, littered with stainless steel appliances. The windows were large and looked out over Notre-Dame and the Seine. Around the apartment, Marinette could see different aspects that reminded her of both Adrien and Nino: the game console near the flat screen TV, the camera equipment just barely showing from inside the storage closet, the posters of Adrien on the cover of magazines, and Nino's collection vinyls.

"Alya, I'll talk to you later. I should probably take care of Adrien." She hung up before Alya could say goodbye and headed to the kitchen. She searched through three cupboards before finding the one that held their glasses and mugs. She took one out and filled it with water from the refrigerator. She made her way back to Adrien, handing him the glass of water.

"Don't push yourself next time." She said as he took the glass from her.

"I'm really sorry about this. I'll call a cab for you." Marinette shook her head and sat down next to him.

"No need. It seems I was kicked out of my place for the night. You'll have to put up with me tonight Monsieur Agreste." She could feel her heartbeat increase as the words left her mouth. She didn't think much of it when Alya told her to stay there, but she was beginning to realize what staying at Adrien's place meant.

Adrien's face turned a bright shade of red, thinking of Marinette sleeping in the same place as him. He quickly shook the vulgar thoughts out of his head and spoke again.

"You can sleep in my room. I'll just sleep in Nino's. My room is much cleaner than his." She accepted his offer and leaned back on the couch. Adrien chugged the glass of water and set it down on the coffee table in front of him.

"Marinette, I'm really sorry about earlier." He looked back at her, her eyes half shut as fatigue overtook her. She gave a small laugh before reaching out and ruffling his hair.

"At least this way I avoided walking into something I do not want to see." Adrien chuckled and leaned back with her. His eyelids felt heavy and he fought with all he had to keep his eyes open. He turned his head and looked at Marinette, a soft smile on her face.

"I'm glad I got to see you again." He whispered.

"I'm glad I got to see you again, too, Adrien." She closed her eyes, the need to sleep taking her over. Soon after, Adrien also gave in to the power of fatigue and fell asleep right beside the woman he loved.

The next morning, Nino entered his home, Alya following straight behind him. Upon their entrance, they encountered their best friends asleep together on the couch, Marinette's head on Adrien's shoulder and his head on hers. Alya wanted to squeal with joy when she saw them, but held back, not wanting to wake the two up.

Nino immediately took out his cellphone and snapped pictures of the couple. Alya followed suit, capturing the oblivious couple at many different angles.

Marinette woke up after hearing the snickering from Nino and Alya. She opened her heavy lidded eyes and looked straight at her roommate, her phone covering her beaming face. Eyes half-closed, she looked beside her at Adrien, still sleeping soundly, his chest rising and falling with every breath he took.

Marinette jerked away from him, the crick in her neck sending a jolt of pain down her back. Her hand moved up to massage the aching spot on her neck and she sat up. She slipped multiple times on the leather couch before standing up and stomping towards her best friend.

Alya hid her phone behind her back and ran out the front door, wanting to make sure Marinette wouldn't delete the precious photos she had just taken. Nino watched on, his boisterous laugh echoing throughout the apartment. Marinette hastily slipped her shoes on and chased Alya, forgetting her coat.

Adrien woke up soon after hearing the commotion. He rubbed his eyes groggily. His sleepy expression turned to one of confusion as he noticed Nino in front of him laughing as if he'd seen the funniest thing in the world.

Drowsily, he asked, "What's going on? Where's Marinette?" He pat the place next to him, noticing the girl he'd slept next to the night before was nowhere to be seen.

Nino wiped the tears streaming down his face and steadied himself before answering Adrien.

"Sorry. She's chasing after Alya. We took pictures of you two sleeping next to each other. We couldn't miss the opportunity." He plopped himself down next to his best friend and roommate. Adrien sat in silence for a few moments, images of last night running through his mind. He looked over at Nino, a smug smile on his face.

There was silence for a few moments before Adrien spoke.

"Can you send me the pictures?" Adrien asked without any hint of shame.

"So you do like her!" Nino shouted, standing up to assert his point.

"Of course I do! I'm not exactly hiding it. Actually, I almost kissed her last night." He confessed.

Nino's smile stretched from ear to ear. He sat back down and demanded that Adrien tell him every detail of the night before. Adrien rubbed the back of his head, slightly nervous and embarrassed.

"I told her that I liked her, and I went in for the kiss, but," he groaned, his hands moving up to cover his face.

"I got dizzy and just fell over onto her shoulder. Who does that?" His hands slid down his face and back onto his lap. Nino pat the top of Adrien's head, his heart filled with pity for his best friend.

Adrien appreciated the comfort and sighed.

"She probably thinks it was the wine talking. Who gets drunk on wine?" Nino took his hand away from him and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees.

"Why don't you just tell her again? You know, sober?" Nino proposed.

Adrien stood up and began pacing the room.

"Wow, Nino. I wonder why I never thought of that." His hands flailed around his moving form, and distracted, his knee met with the corner of the glass coffee table. He stumbled backward, stabbing pain running up and down the length of his calf.

Nino chuckled and walked over to Adrien, offering his hand to help him up.

"Dude, why not try acting on what you're thinking, then? I have a feeling it'll work out." Nino winked, his smile smug on his face. Adrien took his hand and stood up once again. Once he let go, Nino grabbed his bag that lay on the ground near the entrance to their apartment along with Marinette's coat and headed out the door. Adrien hobbled back to the couch, a slight imprint of Marinette and him lingering on the surface.

He plopped back down on it and held his head in his hands. He ruffled his hair out of frustration and jumped when he heard his phone alarm ring. He quickly dismissed it and checked the time.

"Shit. I'm late!" He stood up and rushed to appear presentable for his photoshoot that morning, yelling a variety of obscenities as he hurried to get ready.

Marinette had managed to grab Alya's phone and delete the photos she'd taken earlier. Given her mastery in phone theft, it was not a difficult feat. Alya didn't say much about the matter, keeping the fact that Nino had taken an album's worth of pictures a secret.

Marinette handed Alya's phone back to her and walked away, remembering that she'd left her coat at Adrien's apartment. However, she noticed Nino walking towards the two of them, her coat hung on his arm. She appreciated the gesture and met him halfway, taking her coat back and putting on for protection against the cold December morning.

"What do you say?"

"Thank you, Nino." Marinette pat his shoulder in appreciation and the two sauntered back over to where her best friend stood.

"You two walk too slowly." Alya commented.

"Well, you try being short. Your legs can only go so far apart." Marinette replied.

"Ladybug is short, and she doesn't seem to have a problem with it." Nino added.

Marinette froze on the spot for a brief second before composing herself once again.

"W-well, Ladybug is Ladybug! She's a superhero!" She stood straight and raised her hand in the air for no apparent reason. Nino and Alya simultaneously rolled their eyes and turned away from her, walking toward the metro station across the street.

"Wait for me!" She yelled as she hurried after them.

Before long, the distraction that Alya and Nino brought disappeared and the memories of the night before returned, filling Marinette's head with further confusion in regards to Adrien Agreste.

Had he really fallen for her, or was his head muddle with the consumption of alcohol? Had he really seen her the way she had seen him for so many years? If the wine hadn't taken over, would he have kissed her?

The questions ran through her mind faster than the train she rode. She needed answers, but she didn't know how to go about getting them. The best solution would be to ask the cause of her worry, but that only seemed to give her more anxiety.

She didn't know what to do.


	4. Chapter 4

"I'm late!" Marinette yelled, slamming her bedroom door behind her while simultaneously trying to organize the folders in her hands. Once in order, she placed them on the dining table beside her and grabbed her black coat, putting it on before braving the cold outside. Alya watched Marinette from the kitchen, a croissant in her mouth and an unamused expression on her face.

Marinette straightened herself and then stood still. She looked over to Alya and asked, "Okay, how do I look?"

She wore black skinny jeans with a small rip in each knee, a blue and white plaid button up with a white pullover on top, and an oversized navy blue cardigan underneath her black coat. Her hair was tied into a tight bun on the top of her head. Alya looked her up and down carefully, making sure nothing was out of place.

"You look great. Oh! Your huge black scarf would go great with that. And lose the coat. It's not that cold."

"What do you mean it's not that cold? It's four degrees!" She shouted as Alya went into the laundry corner to find Marinette's scarf.

"If it's above freezing, it's not too cold. You'll thank me later. And don't forget to wear your socks." Alya rummaged through their unfolded pile of clean laundry, unable to find the scarf in the messy corner.

Marinette retreated back to her room to find a clean pair of socks. She found a mismatched pair underneath her bed and decided it was better to wear them than to waste more time finding the perfect match. She quickly threw off her coat, deciding she trusted her roommate, exited her room once again and stood in front of Alya whose arms were outstretched, a black piece of clothing in her hands. Marinette whispered a thank you and took the scarf, wrapping it multiple times around her thin neck.

Marinette weaved past Alya and made her way to their small shoe closet.

"Black boots or cognac?" She asked, holding up one boot in each hand.

"Of course you know that's cognac. Those are better." Marinette threw the black boot back into the closet and pulled out the other cognac colored lace up ankle boot. She quickly slipped them on over her sock-clad feet, stumbling multiple times in the process.

"Are you sure I look okay?" She asked her best friend. Alya sighed with frustration.

"Yes! You look exactly like an intern would. Don't worry so much." She walked up to the distraught girl who stood by the front door and put her hands on her shoulders. She leaned down and looked right into her eyes, waiting until the worry in them vanished and was replaced with a slight softness.

"Good luck. I know you'll be great, if not the greatest." Marinette gave a relived sigh, her muscles relaxing. She squared her shoulders and pumped her fist in front of her once. Alya removed her hands from her shoulders and put them on her hips.

"Now go. You'll really be late if you don't leave now." Marinette nodded curtly and turned around to leave the house. Just before she closed the door, Alya called out to her. She turned her head around to face her.

"You forgot your files. And your purse. And your phone. Oh, and your keys." Marinette blushed a bright red and ran back inside to gather her belongings. Alya watched in silent judgement as her best friend flailed about. Once she had everything she needed, she quickly walked past her roommate and left their small apartment. Once outside the building, she took a deep breath and pumped her fist one more time before making her way to the nearest metro station.

It was her first day as one of the three interns for Gabriel Agreste, the fashion mogul. Up until recently, he'd mostly made ready-to-wear clothing lines, modeled by his own son, Adrien Agreste. He was currently working on his first modern haute couture line and needed three interns to help out his team. Marinette immediately applied for the position when Adrien told her about it. She wasn't sure she would make it, but she did. Though she lacked confidence in many areas, she was sure that her creativity and experience would make her stand out among the thousands of applicants.

Being chosen out of more than one thousand applicants gave her a major confidence boost. Although she'd been in a slump during recent months, she was ready to finally break out of her creative block and design clothing that she really believed in.

Once she stood in front of the Agreste Manor, she became tense. _I get to work beside Gabriel Agreste._ Her uneasy thoughts began to hinder her previous determined demeanor. She gulped, suddenly feeling parched. Just as she readied herself to take a step forward, she noticed two long shadows appear beside her. She looked at the figures on either side of her and realized that the other two interns had also just arrived. The two men beside her were over six feet tall, towering over her by many inches.

One of the two men had a big smile on his face, making him seem less frightening to Marinette. His cropped dirty blond hair moved gently as the wind blew. He looked down at her as if he had just noticed her and put on an even bigger smile, which seemed almost impossible to the girl. His jade green eyes quickly ran from the bottom of her body to the top, as if he were analyzing her and her abilities based on just that one look. He held out his hand and introduced himself.

"I'm Alain. It's nice to meet you." Marinette carefully took his outstretched hand and shook it, still unaware of how she felt about the man who looked to be around her age, if not a year or two older.

"Marinette." She said softly, her voice barely audible. Alain let go of her hand and started walking toward the large gates in front of the three. Marinette looked to the other side of her, the tall stoic man with dark hair and dark eyes looked straight ahead without a single sign of him wanting to introduce himself. Marinette shivered, unable to gauge the feeling the man gives off.

She spoke louder this time, introducing herself to him. He turned his head and looked down at her. His dark brown eyes bore into hers and what seemed like anger emanated from them. He looked away from her, saying his name in the process.

"Leo." His dark clothes stood out when compared to the bright clothing Alain wore.

Alain called out to Leo excitedly, repeatedly saying his name, causing him to furrow his eyebrows. He whispered a few words, which sounded offensive, in Korean and walked over to where Alain stood.

Marinette took in a deep breath and joined the two at the monitor beside the gates. Alain pushed the button. A familiar voice responded to the call and Marinette noted that it was Nathalie Sancoeur, Gabriel Agreste's longtime assistant.

Before Alain could say a word, Leo pushed him aside and spoke.

"We're the interns." He said without much intonation. Soon after, the gates opened and the three walked to the front door together. Nathalie stood there, no expression on her face.

"Welcome. Please come inside, and don't make any noise. Follow me to the office."

Once they reached the office, way in the back of the house, Nathalie knocked twice on the large double doors. Though Marinette had been here before, multiple times, she could not get over the beauty of the house. Even though there were intricate designs and patterns carved into the walls and ceilings, even though there was enough furniture to fill in empty space, and even though there were an enormous amount of portraits hung on the walls, all of the same woman, Marinette felt that the house was cold and lifeless. She couldn't feel what she felt in her own home, whether it was her home with Alya or her home with her parents.

The doors opened soon after, a tall Gabriel Agreste standing straight in front of them. His face looked unfriendly and harsh, not unlike the many other times Marinette had seen him. He moved aside without saying a word, allowing the four of them to step inside the room. Nathalie closed the doors and stood to the side, out of the way of Gabriel and the interns.

Gabriel spoke first.

"There's no need to introduce yourselves. I know who you are." He turned around, his back facing them. Marinette took a quick look around the room, her eyes landing upon a small picture frame. The picture was of Adrien and his parents. They looked so happy. She noticed the smile that now seemed nonexistent on his father's face.

She knew how hard it was on Adrien that he didn't have a good relationship with his father, and it made her sad to see how great of a family they seemed to be in the past. She looked away and tuned back in to what her mentor for the next two months was saying.

"This internship has three main tasks. First, you will properly familiarize yourselves with the models of the clothing line. Today, you will be heading over to one of the photoshoots taking place at The Grand Palais. You will each be assigned a model to shadow for the next month." He turned around, once again facing the interns. He zeroed in on Marinette, recognition dawning on him. He raised his hand and pointed straight at her, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"You. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. You know my son, correct?" Marinette froze. She stuttered when she replied.

"Y-yes, s-sir!" she yelled. Gabriel sighed and situated his hands behind him.

"I see. One of your creations has also been modeled by my son, has it not? The bowler hat." Marinette nodded, her grip on the folders tightening.

"I see. Well, then, you will be shadowing my son for the next month. Since you two are already acquainted with each other, I assume there is no problem?" His eyebrows furrowed, making Marinette want to jump out of her skin. She nodded again, half happy and half afraid.

"Good. I'm expecting great things from you, Marinette." His demeanor softened and Marinette's muscles relaxed as he switched his attention back to the tasks.

"Your second task will be to work with our marketing team, though only those of you who are focusing on the business aspect will have to take part in that. Alain is the only participant in this task."

He opened a drawer in his desk and took out what seemed like two large information packets. He closed the drawer and looked at Marinette and Leo.

"Instead of working on marketing proposals, you two will be working on your own mini collections. These must be cohesive and tie in with our current line in production. Each of you will create three pieces, and the pieces that I deem most appropriate will be added to our current collection."

He picked up the packets and walked over to the two of them. Marinette reached out with a trembling hand and received the thick envelope.

"These are the current pieces of clothing in production. Look at them, memorize them, analyze them and then come up with your own ideas. I want to see your sketches by the end of this month."

He walked back to his desk and sat down, swiveling until he faced the wall.

"You may leave now." Nathalie stood up and walked to the door, opening it to let the interns out.

"You three will have to make it to the photoshoot on your own. The photographer knows who you are. Alain, your model is Stefani, Leo, your model is Étienne." She closed the door and the three stood stock still in front of it. Without a single word, Leo turned around and made his way out the house. Alain soon followed behind. Marinette was still trying to make sense of everything that just happened.

She was going to shadow Adrien for a month. The thought made her happy and she wanted to scream, but she also dreaded seeing him that day. She still couldn't get the night from the week before out of her mind. She still hadn't been able to make sense of it. Sure, he was a little drunk, but was that enough for him to say random things he didn't mean? Marinette groaned internally and made the long trek out of the house.

Once outside of the gates, she took in a deep breath and then let it back out.

"You can do it, Marinette!" a small voice called out to her. Marinette looked down at her bag to see Tikki just barely peeking out. She smiled down at the caring kwami, determination rising within her. Her fellow interns had already departed for the photoshoot, and Marinette didn't want to be left behind.

Once she made it to the Grand Palais, though not without difficulty due to the trains running slower than normal, she immediately noticed Adrien Agreste. He stood out amongst the other models, his golden blond hair looking almost gray in the intense lighting. He was listening carefully to the photographer as she explained the set up for the next shot. Adrien nodded his head, his eyes not leaving her for one second. Marinette didn't realize she wasn't breathing until her lungs began to beg for more air.

She took in a deep breath, her eyes gazing over his form with admiration, or maybe lust. Adrien was shirtless for the shoot, his faded jeans unbuttoned and slightly unzipped to reveal the underwear he was modeling for the Agreste line. His last name could be seen sewn into the band in a tasteful font. Even his bare feet looked flawless to Marinette. The make-up artists had sprayed his naked upper half with water, strategically placing the drops in the most stimulating areas of his body. He gleamed under the light.

Everything about the shoot screamed Agreste, from the underwear to the pants to the model wearing them. Marinette's gaze lingered much longer that was deemed appropriate and one of the interns waved his hand in front of her face.

She looked over at Alain, a smirk on his face.

"Look, I want a piece of him, too, but I'm not making it as obvious as you are." He moved his hand away and put it inside his pocket. Marinette mentally slapped herself and focused on the task at hand.

She waited until the photographer finished speaking to the models and called for a break before she went up to speak to her. The photographer smiled instantaneously when she saw the three interns sauntering over to her.

"It's about time you three got here. It's break time so go ahead and get acquainted with the models. If you don't know who they are, I'm happy to let you know." Leo and Alain asked her to point out their models and then promptly went over to introduce themselves.

Marinette hesitated, unable to get the last time they were together out of her mind. His flushed face, his breath on her lips and the way he said her name, almost as if it were the first time, filled her mind completely. She could still feel the pressure on her shoulder from when he leaned his head on it, the feel of his cold hand in hers, the sweet smell of his breath and his glowing green eyes in the bright lights of a Parisian night. Her thoughts were so focused on the memories of that night that she didn't even hear the Adrien of the present call out to her from across the small hotel room.

"Marinette! What are you doing here?" His smile could be compared to the first rays of sunlight in the morning; comforting and beautiful. Marinette almost felt like crying when he placed himself in front of her, the emotion in his eyes sincere and honest. She didn't think she could fall in love with him more than she already had, but every time she saw him, she had to correct herself.

She smiled up at him, no words coming out of her mouth. She just wanted to stay in that moment for a long time, both of them unmoving and looking straight into each other's eyes. He placed his large hand on her head, seemingly interested in the tight bun on top of it.

Marinette snapped out of her stupor and cleared her throat.

"Uh, it's my first day interning. I'm here to help the models." Adrien removed his hand from her head and let it drop to his side.

"Well, with any luck you'll get to follow me around all day." He smirked, hopeful in a sense.

Marinette gulped, knowing full well that she was going to be following him around for the next month. She cleared her throat again.

"Your luck or mine?" she asked.

"Well, I'd consider myself lucky if the beautiful Marinette Dupain-Cheng were by my side all day."

Her breath hitched in her throat. Her face turned a bright red after hearing the compliment. She needed to grab onto something to steady herself, but nothing seemed to be around except for Adrien Agreste, the glorious Adonis standing in front of her.

She quickly regained her composure and answered, "I guess you're a pretty lucky guy, then."

This time Adrien's face turned a bright shade of red. He ran his hand through his slicked back hair, feeling the sweat on his forehead threatening to slide down his face.

"I guess that means we'll be together all day." He held his hand out for her to shake. She paused, wanting to relay to the man in front of her that she would be together with him for the entire month.

"Actually, I'll be following you for the whole month." Adrien stiffened, a sense of joy and anxiousness twisting through him at the same time.

His smile widened and he drew his hand back.

"Who do I have to thank for this arrangement? Nathalie?" Marinette shook her head.

"No, your father. He already knows we're friends." His smile faltered just slightly. He touched her shoulder and brought her closer. She stumbled as they got closer, her feet failing her. Adrien expertly caught her, his hands steadying her in her place.

The heat of his hands emanated through her clothing, leaving her skin hot where he touched her.

He looked down into her eyes with awe. His heart threatened to leap out of his chest as the possibility of kissing her came into his mind. She didn't move an inch, still intoxicated by his touch, however small. His throat felt dry and he struggled to form his next words.

"I-I guess I h-have to t-thank him when I g-get home."

"But you don't live with him." Marinette replied. He laughed nervously and let her go, allowing her to stand on her own.

"I could always just email him." He hadn't spoken to his father in person or on the phone in a long time, which often made him wonder if things were better off that way. He dismissed the thought and turned his focus back to Marinette. However, before he could get another word out, the photographer called the models back to the set for the next round of shots.

He smiled shyly, his hand rubbing the back of his neck, before he turned away and rushed back to set. Marinette felt her legs turn to jelly beneath her and struggled to stay upright. She took three deep breaths before she searched for a place to sit and wait for the love of her life. She noticed a dressing table in the back of the room with Adrien's name on it and decided to settle down there.

There was a massive amount of clutter on the table. Make-up products and jewelry were scattered everywhere on top of what looked like a script for a commercial, brushes and hair products lay on their side and then one small accessory caught her eye.

It was something she hadn't seen in years. It was something she thought she'd lost during an attack on Paris, something she used to hold so dear to her.

She noticed the beads that only she could have bought in the bright colors that represented her during her youth. Carefully, she picked up the charm, bringing it close to her face. She felt her throat closing up, tears on the edge of her waterline.

 _He kept it,_ she thought.


	5. Chapter 5

Adrien felt confused about the events that transpired the previous week. There wasn't a day that went by where he didn't think about everything that occurred after the photoshoot. He'd noticed an obvious difference in Marinette's attitude towards him, leaving him to believe that he'd done some sort of wrong that had offended her. Yet, when he thought back on his actions, he couldn't see himself as anything other than a gentleman from the moment she stepped onto set. Her sudden cold behavior left him feeling unsettled and anxious.

The week following the shoot left him pondering on what could have caused such unexpected actions from the girl he'd always known to be bright and positive. Adrien felt troubled by the way she refused to meet his eyes when just an hour before, her crystal clear eyes bore directly into his. In just one hour, Marinette had gone from someone he could reach out to endlessly to someone who wouldn't even look his way.

As Adrien's eyes glossed over the words of the book in front of him, his thoughts focused on Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the woman he loved who he couldn't get to look his way. Even his calls were rejected, his texts unanswered. He'd come up with the excuse of wanting to know how her internship was going to at least hear her voice just once. Even when he'd asked Alya for help, Marinette held unresponsive.

After six days of pacing around his room, Adrien had decided that he needed to go see her himself. He wanted to confront her on why she was avoiding him. At the same time, however, he felt an enormous amount of worry over her response. He couldn't tell whether she would gladly tell him her worries and woes, or throw him right out on the icy curb.

His magical partner was no help regarding the issue, always complaining about there being a lack of cheese. Even Ladybug, who he considered his confidant on all things except their identities couldn't give him an answer. Granted, he didn't tell her anything worth noting about Marinette Dupain-Cheng; not her name or her qualities or the way she sticks out her tongue when she's in deep concentration. How could he, when she reminded him so much of his first love?

Left with the inability to come up with a foolproof solution, Adrien decided to ask Nino, his trustworthy best friend who was always there for him in his time of need.

He heard the front door open and rushed to put down his unread book on the coffee table in front of him. He stood up, not without difficulty, and bombarded Nino immediately with the question that plagued his mind.

"How do I get her to talk to me? You know, without rejecting me."

Nino's eyes widened and his stance became one of defense. He put his hands up, signaling Adrien to back away as soon as possible to give himself some room to breathe.

"Calm down, dude. I'm sure she's not mad at you. She'll talk to you if you talk to her."

Adrien frowned, recalling all of his failed attempts at talking to her on the phone.

"But she won't answer my calls. Or my texts." Nino slid off his leather jacket and walked over to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. Adrien followed close behind, his heart threatening to jump out of his chest.

"You're the one who's in love with her. What do you think is the right thing to do?" he questioned.

Adrien felt the need to slide down to the ground and hold himself tightly in a fetal position, but resisted the urge. Nino looked on with great curiosity at the flustered model in front of him, unable to recall a time when he'd seen Adrien Agreste so rattled.

"I thought I could go see her and ask what's going on."

"Well, then that's what you should do. It's what I would do, too, honestly." Nino took a sip of his water and walked back towards his bedroom door, quietly admiring the new matte black door knob he'd installed the previous day. Before he could enter his sanctuary, however, Adrien asked his next question loudly, stirring Nino in the process, causing him to drop his bottled water.

"Should I ask her out?" Adrien sounded breathless, as if just saying those words caused him a great deal of stress.

Nino turned around, the joy apparent on his boyish face.

"Hell. Yes." He paused between each word.

"But what if she says no?" His eyes felt wet, as if the tears of frustration had finally built up enough to pour over.

"I have this sinking feeling she'll say yes." Nino's smile grew wider and he prided himself in the fact that he knew of Marinette's feelings for Adrien, many thanks in part to Alya.

Before Adrien could open his mouth, Nino's phone rang loud. He turned away from him and answered his phone, noticing on the screen that it was none other than Marinette Dupain-Cheng who was calling him.

Marinette sounded slightly panicked over the line, which didn't worry Nino, as she often sounded panicked.

"Nino, it's raining and I don't have an umbrella and Alya's busy and can you come drop one off for me, please?" Nino laughed softly at the tone her voice took.

"Sure, where are you?"

"At the intern studio." She said in a calmer voice.

"Okay, I'll be there soon." He hung up the phone and turned back around to Adrien, a wonderful plan forming in his mind.

"Adrien, I need you to do a favor for me." A mischievous smile adorned his face, alerting Adrien to the nature of his request.

* * *

Minutes later, Adrien found himself standing outside the building that held the studio his father had set up for the Agreste interns. He looked up at the baroque style architecture of the building and admired the many details that came along with it. In truth, he was trying to waste time outside in the rain, not yet ready to face Marinette. His throat kept closing up which in turn caused tears to well up in his eyes, making him unpresentable. Though he'd reached the building in less than ten minutes, it had been more than twenty since he left his apartment.

He paced around outside, sensing the stares he got as people who recognized him walked by. The whispers irritated him, throwing him off and causing him to step on the wrong square of cobblestone. He pulled his black coat tighter around him, the cold December night painful and cruel. The water droplets that ever so often landed on Adrien's hands felt like needles pricking him.

He knew he needed to go inside, but his feet refused to let him into the building, fingers refused to dial the numbers that would allow him to unlock the door. He regretted wearing his gray suede boots, knowing full well that the rain had ruined them.

He couldn't think, but he needed to.

It was the first time he had ever felt so unsure of what to do. While his Chat Noir persona was able to take risks without thinking about consequences, Adrien couldn't stop thinking about the consequences of his actions.

The door behind him opened, revealing the other two Agreste interns, both tall and handsome. He suddenly felt a surge of jealously when he remembered that the two of them worked closely with Marinette. Though he was the same height as them, he couldn't help but feel small under their strong gazes.

"Are you going in?" said the dark haired man.

Adrien nodded his head, slipping past the two, wanting to immediately escape their curious stares.

He gulped and started his journey up the three flights of stairs that led to the studio. He knew that at the end, he would finally see Marinette and ask what exactly she needed from him.

He felt as if he were in a trance as he walked up the steps; his heart beat loudly in his ears, his breath shallow, and sweat dripping down his face despite the cold temperature.

Despite how many times he told himself that Marinette would never throw him out on the curb without a single thought, his mind couldn't comprehend the words.

Marinette was kind and sweet and wouldn't hurt even a fly.

He knew Marinette.

He knew the forgiving Marinette who found the heart to give everyone a second chance, even though they probably didn't deserve it.

He knew the caring Marinette who always managed to put a smile on his face whenever he felt lonely.

He knew the Marinette who became his first friend in spite of her thinking that he'd stuck gum on her seat.

The Marinette he knew would never, could never, turn him away.

He took a deep breath as he reached the door to the studio. Behind the glass on the door, he could see Marinette working away, not looking up for even a second.

He noticed the red tips in her hair which weren't there the week before. He noticed the way she kept her hair in a loose bun, strands falling out of the knot and draping down her neck. He noticed the way her tongue stuck out of her mouth, indicating her level of concentration.

His cheeks flushed with color brought on by the beauty that is Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

His hand on the doorknob, he slowly opened the door so as not to make a sound. Marinette didn't raise her head, too focused on the work in front of her to notice anything.

Adrien quietly placed himself behind her, hovering over her to look at her work. Her desk faced the window, allowing her the perfect view of the buildings across the street and the entrance down below. The faint sound of the metro going by told Adrien that she didn't have to walk far to get to public transportation, easing his worries about her walking around alone at night.

In front of Marinette lay two designs that surprised Adrien. They were different from the ready-to-wear designs Marinette had made plenty of times before, for himself even. The gowns she had designed were elegant and mature, with a touch of vibrant color that brought them together.

One gown was vibrant blue on top and a flat black on bottom, short in the front and long in the back, providing movement to the dress. The other was a simple gray A-line gown with a sweetheart neckline and a bright violet band at the waist. On top of the dress was a long black overcoat, the sleeves large and short. The dress had silver embroidery at the bottom in a wavelength pattern while the overcoat was covered in gold embroidery.

Adrien knew his father, and he knew that he would love the designs. The opinion in question was Marinette's however, since he knew how she'd been feeling inadequate about her designs lately.

Marinette had still not noticed him, so he examined her face. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her nostrils flared and her eyes almost unmoving.

Slowly, but carefully, he reached out and touched her shoulder, causing her to jump off of her seat and land on the hardwood ground.

Adrien gasped and fell to his knees to help her up, realizing that her injury was due in part to him startling her.

"Are you okay?" He asked as they stood up. She moved her fringe behind her ears and looked up to see Adrien's majestic green eyes staring down at her.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine." She whispered, sitting back down in her chair.

"You dyed you hair. It looks good." He complimented her, not knowing what else he could say.

She nodded her head and turned away from him, turning back to her work.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

Adrien thought back to the lie Nino had asked him to say for when she asked that question.

"Something came up and Nino asked me to come here instead. I…hope that's okay?"

She nodded her head again, her hand moving fast as she colored in her next sketch.

The silence between them felt deafening, causing Adrien to start sweating again.

"I brought an extra umbrella for you." He said carefully, not knowing what would set her off.

"Thanks. You can leave it and go."

Adrien felt a stabbing pain in his chest at her monotonous voice telling him to leave. His throat closed up and he desperately needed a drink of water. He could feel the tears prickling his eyes. He cleared his throat to try to quell the sobs that threatened to make themselves known.

"I'll walk you home. It's, uh, dangerous at night and I-"

"There's no need."

He felt as if he were falling or drowning. He couldn't tell which. He cleared his throat again and looked up at the fluorescent lights in the ceiling to control his tears. He took a couple of deep breaths before he spoke again, making sure his voice didn't crack in the process.

"Why are you avoiding me?" He dropped the umbrellas he carried on the ground. Marinette jumped slightly at the sound.

"Did I do something to hurt you? Did I offend you in any way? Please, just tell me so I can fix it. You have to know that whatever it was, I didn't mean it." He heard his voice crack as he said the last few words.

Marinette heard it as well and turned around, her face and ears completely red. She looked on in horror as Adrien was close to breaking down.

"Whatever it was, I'm sorry. Okay? Marinette, I…I can't lose you. You're one of my…best friends."

Unable to say a word at the sight of a broken Adrien Agreste, Marinette stood from her seat and quickly threw her arms around him in an effort to calm him down.

"You didn't do anything! I just…oh man, I was the jerk for not saying anything." Adrien, hesitant, didn't put his arms around her.

"I was a little embarrassed when I realized you still kept the charm I gave you so many years ago. I'm sorry." She whispered.

"The charm?" he questioned. He thought back to the time Marinette handed him her good luck charm and how grateful he had felt at the sign of friendship.

The hesitation disappeared and Adrien slowly put his arms around her, accepting the hug and the apology.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" he asked.

"I could barely even look at you. I know it was a long time ago, but it meant a lot to me when I saw it."

He tightened his grip around her body, pulling her closer into him. She smelled of vanilla and her hair brushed softly along his jaw, calming him down completely.

"You really scared me, you know? I thought you didn't like me anymore."

"Of course I like you, Adrien!" she blushed harder as she heard the words. He blushed as well, realizing the meaning he wished those words had taken.

"I-I mean, as a friend, of course." She sighed and pulled away from him. She looked up into his eyes and saw how red they were. The guilt engulfed her again and she recited a series of apologies to him.

"Marinette. As long as you're not getting rid of me, it's fine. You don't have to say anymore." He moved a small piece of hair that had fallen behind her ear.

She sighed again with relief.

The two laughed softly at the misunderstanding and Marinette took a seat again. Adrien pulled up a nearby chair and sat down next to her.

"Red suits you." He said.

"Well, black suits you." She points at his entire ensemble.

"Who doesn't look good in black?"

Adrien felt relieved that they had returned to their usual banter.

Marinette put down her pencil and turned toward him, their legs touching. Adrien stared down at Marinette for a few moments before pointing at her designs.

"Those are amazing, by the way." Marinette smiled and blushed, not knowing how to take the compliment from the love of her life.

"I can do better." She said.

"Well, I don't doubt that. You're amazing. You always have been." She felt her heart stop mid beat and then start again in an erratic pattern.

"Y-you're amazing, too." She said.

His smile left his face and thoughts of all the pressure put on him by his father replaced the feelings of elation talking to Marinette had given him.

"But I'm not. I'm not amazing." He looked down at his hands, fiddling with them to calm his nerves.

Marinette leaned over and placed her hand on top of his. She looked up at him and locked her eyes with his, hoping that doing so would allow him to understand her better.

"You are amazing, Adrien. You're kind and caring and thoughtful and merciful and all of the qualities people would kill for. You are the most amazing person I know. Don't ever say you aren't."

He couldn't say anything. He found himself unable to form any words. His face felt hot and his heart beat at a dangerous speed. The sweat on the back of his neck dropped down his back in small droplets. His hands felt as if they were burning under Marinette's touch. He gritted his teeth, all of the feelings inside of him jumbling together, making it almost unbearable for him.

Slowly, one of his hands wrapped around hers, his grip tight. He didn't want to let go of her. He could see Marinette's eyes visibly widen at his actions. He felt himself move closer to her, this time without the high of alcohol clouding his thoughts.

He knew exactly what he wanted and he no longer wished to wait until she left him for good. He wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her exactly how he felt. He wanted to tell her all of the words he'd held back. He wanted to pull her to him and tell her everything he wanted her to hear.

He could feel the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand up as if Marinette's touch was electrifying. He took in a deep breath and held her gaze and then whispered.

"I love you."

These are the dresses Marinette designed: post/141419527578/these-are-two-of-the-designs-marinette-has-created


End file.
